Option to Display prices with/without TAX

[msaunders]

Hi

I want to be able to include a checkbox on my account creation page that when enabled, will not add/display TAX to my order at the checkout. This would be for companies that are exempt from paying TAX. Has anyone done this ?

Rgds,

martin

[msaunders]

OR, would it be possible to put an option on the 'Payment Method' screen, so that when a user ticks this option and continues to the 'Ready to purchase' screen, it displays the total amount owing, MINUS the tax ? Would that be hard to do ? I really would like to get his feature working...

Im sure it can be incorporated...

 

thanks

martin

[msaunders]

Still looking for anyones comments on this guys/gals ? Anyone out there even put me out of my misery ?

:D

thanks

[Jason]

Hi,

 

I am looking for a vagualy similar fix... I want to show all prices tax free in the shop itself, then deal with the VAT in the back office. That way everyone sees the same price (see my post just below).

 

I can't offer you a solution, but if I find anything when I am working on my problem, I'll get back to you.

 

Jason

[Jan0815]

I am looking for a vagualy similar fix... I want to show all prices tax free in the shop itself, then deal with the VAT in the back office.

 

That would be illegal at least in the european union. The e-Commerce directive clearly states that we must at all times show the price including VAT at any time to the customer.

 

And from the customers view - I would be running away from your shop if I order something at an offered price, receive an e-Mail with that price and then suddenly see 19% VAT added without any obvious reason. Working that way will definitely make you loose clients.

 

My .02 only though.

[Jason]

We DO show TTC prices - I expresed myself badly... I should have said :

I am looking for a vagualy similar fix... I want to show all prices tax INCLUSIVE in the shop itself, then deal with the VAT in the back office.

When the user goes to the checkout, the price s/he pays is that shown in the shop. The VAT is then calculated on our end. We pay it if we are required to do so. We have about a 50/50 split between US and Europe , so we break even working this way as long as the TTC price is half way between the 'Market' TTC and the HT...

 

Probably doesn't make any sense.

I am just trying to avoid showing VAT inc prices to US users who won't be paying the tax...

[msaunders]

We are showing the prices excluding the VAT, and then it is added at the checkout page. I dont think there is anything wrong with that is there ? If you tell your customers from the start that all prices are excluding VAT , then your not misleading them.

 

The reason we are doing this is that we will be dealing with companies that are VAT exempt and want to be able to give them an option to leave the VAT off the order, hence my original request of an option to turn off the VAT before the customer reaches the checkout page.

[Jason]

I think that Jan0815 was talking about purely European law. I would imagine that in the US you can show either VAT inclusve or exclusive as long as you are clear.... However I have no knowledage of law and I cannot vouch for this statement further than "imagining" this to be the case :?

 

As for European law, Jan0815 is right. But, as a french company, showing VAT inclusive prices to a US customer is still bad business because everything seems more expensive than it really is.

[msaunders]

Well, I am in Ireland, Europe . So, he is saying that I have to show my prices inclusive of VAT ? Either way, its ok if I need to do this, but I still want an option for companies to REMOVE the VAT from the order before the checkout page.

[Jan0815]

Well, I am in Ireland, Europe . So, he is saying that I have to show my prices inclusive of VAT ?

 

Yes.

 

If you really want to know all the details, look here

 

Quoting from that directive:

 

2. In addition to other information requirements established by Community law, Member States shall at least ensure that, where information society services refer to prices, these are to be indicated clearly and unambiguously and, in particular, must indicate whether they are inclusive of tax and delivery costs.

 

Now it all depends on how Ireland has introduced this directive to irish laws. In Germany, Austria, France at least it has been chosen that the shop owner must show all prices including all taxes. This is to ensure that the consumer always sees what the actually has to pay - so no surprising and unexpected tax addittions show up.

 

The european interpretation of consumer rights is that the consumer must always see the effective price he has to pay. Adding tax at checkout only, without clear indication that the shown price is without VAT is considered illegal and can cause serious harm for the shop owner.

 

To all of those american shop owners - when you want to sell to european customers these rules also apply to you!

 

To get detailed information I would suggest to bookmark this page and read it.

 

This is the most important quote for you:

 

Non-EU companies that export to the EU are taxed at import;

 

So prepare your customers that they will have to pay VAT.

 

osCommerce is designed to handle all of this using tax zones, rates etc.

 

HTH

[msaunders]

Hi Jan0815,

 

Thanks for this. But it also says "these are to be indicated clearly and unambiguously and, in particular, must indicate whether they are inclusive of tax and delivery costs" So, as long as I have indicated to my customer , that the prices are EXCLUSIVE of tax, then I am ok. (?) I dont add my tax to the order total until the checkout page.

 

I still want to have an option for a Non tax paying customer so it will disable the tax on the checkout page. Should this be an easy modification to code ? have you an idea on this ?

 

thanks

[MikeMike]

It would be unusual for a US shop to have tax included in the catalog prices. Here in Florida (and I think everywhere in US), the stores are listing prices without tax and tax is added at the cash register. I would like the same to happen on my online store.

Is it possible?

[msaunders]

Hi Mike

 

If you edit includes/application_top.php change DISPLAY_PRICE_WITH_TAX to false. Then in the admin tool, you setup the tax to be added to the order total. Dont forget also to define your products as being taxable goods.

 

thanks to vzderic for that tip originally .

 

rgds,

martin

[mattice]

I'm just wondering (although it is late & I'm tired)

 

...must indicate whether they are inclusive of tax and delivery costs.

 

doesn't whether mean IF ????

 

A legal / fairly easy solution would be

 

Price: 99,95

(118,95 incl.)

 

//attice

[MikeMike]

Thank you!!

That worked...

[msaunders]

must indicate whether they are inclusive of tax and delivery costs.

 

 

doesn't whether mean IF ????

 

A legal fairly easy solution would be

 

Price:99,95

(118,95 incl.)

 

YES, I think your right . But, how would one go about adding the secondary price ? Is that on option ? I still think my original post/option is a good idea for non-tax paying customers.

[markb]

There is diffenernce in tax culture between europe an america - the americans assume all prices are excluding all sales taxes and tax is charged at the checkout. in the uk and europe all prices in shop are inclusive of VAT.

 

So in the uk the ex vat price is only relevant to VAT regstered companies and schools.

 

this is done by the UK government to hide taxes. and it stops customers getting irrate about a 17.5% sales tax. And why not after all it is the total the customer is interested in so he/she can compare prices like for like.

 

The problem is if you get it wrong you pay the tax.

 

If you are displaying both inc and ex vat the inc price must be first or the dominant one unless you can prove most of you sales are to business.

 

so if your shop is in the uk or EEC you show inc VAT prices - then if the user selects a county out side EEC or is not subject to UK VAT you can show and charge the ex vat price or make more money - epeds on wht you are selling ?

 

The saest way is to charge tax until the customer indicates a delivery address out side a VAT zone or make them choose a country when the first come to the site. or state EEC and none EEC prices

 

This causes a problem with online authorisation - because some users may select the wrong county - ether by accident or on purpose - if you do not ick tis up yu et stung for the vat.